"Understood," he says with all the emotional awareness of a slab of marble. A handsome slab of marble.
Mom pauses at the door, looking back at me with something that might be sympathy but could also be pity.
"We'll figure this out, Rona. But right now, the best thing you can do is stay out of view."
And then she's heads back to the fundraiser. Back to the donors and her carefully managed world of politics, where everything has a solution if she just finds the right angle. And she always finds the right angle, even if it means sacrificing someone in the process.
Even if that someone is me.
Caroline follows her out, but not before shooting me a look that clearly says she thinks I'm making a huge mistake. Or thatI’ma huge mistake. Both can be true where she’s concerned.
Which leaves me alone with Darhg.
His only priority? Me.
Chapter Four
Darhg
Thesuitedoorclicksshut behind the senator and I’m left alone with Rona Quinn. I can feel her gaze on my back, and I take a second to compose myself before turning to her. It still doesn’t soften the blow of her delicate, beautiful face when I turn around.
She’s small and curvy in all the right places, the tops of her lush breasts exposed by the tight corsage of her dress and her porcelain skin on full display. Her strawberry-blond hair is in disarray around her round features, and her makeup bled under her eyes, giving her a sad and vulnerable appearance that raises my hackles. I don’t know who hurt her, but I want to rip them apart with my bare hands.
Shit. I’m too protective of her. This is dangerous for all the wrong reasons.
Reasons the innocent girl in front of me can never suspect. Reasons that, for an ogre, go without explanation. We’re famous for our appetite, after all. But she’s human, and I should do well to remember that. Still, I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it.
“I didn’t do it. The girl in that video isn’t me.”
Rona crosses her arms, pushing the delicious swell of her full breasts to prominence. It takes an annoying amount of concentration not to look at them, but I manage.
Barely.
“It doesn’t matter to me whether you did it or not. My job is to take you home and keep you away from the press, and it’s what I’ll do.”
“Well, it matters to me.” She swallows hard, her throat moving as she lifts her tiny pointed chin. “I’m not some attention-seeking spoiled brat.”
The words are rougher than I intended, and I see the way her lips press together.
Shit. I’m being an ass.
“Listen, I’ve been in this business long enough to know not to judge people. One way or another, I’ll keep you away from the vultures so you and your mother can sort this out, okay?”
This time, I control my tone better. It works, because her mouth relaxes and she gives me a little nod. It’s not much, but at least she doesn’t look like she’s about to burst into tears.
Because that, I can’t handle.
“One more thing.” I extend a steady, open hand toward her. "Phone."
She scoffs, her mouth opening and her eyes wide.
“I’m not handing you my phone like a child.” Rona bristles, her pale-blue eyes flashing with defiance.
I give her my best level gaze. I've perfected this look over years of dealing with principals who think they know better than their security detail. It doesn’t hurt that I’m an ogre and humans find me naturally intimidating. At least, most humans. For some reason, this tiny woman doesn’t seem the cowering type.
Which is too bad, because that bratty attitude has me all bothered. After a moment, she rolls her eyes and places the phone in my palm with a huff of frustration.
I power it down immediately, disabling the location services before sliding it into my inner jacket pocket. "I'll hand it back when it's safe."
